Congregation Adath Israel of Newtown was the recipient of more than 100 prayer books (Siddur Lev Shalem) from congregants of Sinai Temple, Los Angeles.

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, so many people from around the world reached out to Newtown - its schools, the community, to individual families, and to all its religious institutions. Three years ago, members of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles offered Congregation Adath Israel donations intended to purchase much needed new prayer books to honor the memory of Noah Pozner, the sole Jewish child killed in the shooting; as well as his friends and the six educators who were murdered on 12/14.

At that time, a brand-new Conservative Union prayer book was in the earliest stages of pre-publication. The donors agreed that Congregation Adath Israel should hold onto the funds until the new book was published.

During the local temple's Shabbat service on April 9, the new beautiful prayer books were dedicated and used for the first time. Rabbi Barukh Schectman spoke and highlighted a few prayers found in the prayer book and their importance in sustaining a congregation over time.

There were 22 families from Sinai Temple who donated the Siddurim. Congregants from Sinai Temple asked that each book include a nameplate that mentioned Noah, his 19 classmates and the six educators who lost their lives on 12/14. Congregation Adath Israel highlighted each nameplate with the name of each individual family who made this extraordinary gift possible.

The Shabbat service was also special because Eric Vine read from the Torah and celebrated his Bar Mitzvah. As a young and successful 13-year-old entrepreneur selling sea glass jewelry for the past two years, Eric donated more than $2,500, to date, some of which had been earmarked for Siddur Lev Shalem. Eric's donations have already purchased ten books for the Huntingtown Road synagogue, and soon will purchase another set.